Apple today issued multiple updates for Mac OS X and Java that patched 55 bugs, including one for its Safari Web browser that prompted a security researcher to blast the company for a half-hearted approach to security.
The updates were the largest released by Apple in nearly a year.
[ Discover the key Mac and Apple tech trends for business users. Read InfoWorld's Enterprise Mac blog and newsletter. ]
The year's first bug updates from Apple patched 48 security vulnerabilities in the company's operating system and its components, four in Apple's implementation of Sun Microsystems' Java, two non-security flaws it admitted it had introduced with faulty code in Mac OS X 10.5.6, and one fix it said was a "proactive security measure." The majority of the bugs -- 32 altogether -- were in open-source components or software not originally crafted by Apple, as in the case of the quartet of Java flaws.
But the Safari vulnerability may be the one most people remember.
According to Brian Masterbrook, one of the three researchers Apple credited with reporting the Safari bug, Apple had information about the flaw more than seven months ago. "After six months passed without a fix, I decided to post a warning on January 11, 2009, due to my judgment that this issue could be exploited at any time as long as it remained unfixed," Masterbrook said in an entry to his blog Thursday , after Apple had delivered its updates. Masterbrook had posted some information about the bug, as well as a workaround to temporarily disable the RSS feed feature in the browser, in a Jan. 11 warning .
The RSS vulnerability -- present in both the Mac and Windows versions of the browser -- could be used to introduce attack code from a malicious Web site. All criminals had to do, said Masterbrook, was dupe users into visiting such a site. Attacks based on tempting users to a rogue site are commonplace on the Internet, although the vast majority of them are aimed at Windows users.
"This vulnerability...does not require intricate knowledge of the processor or operating system to exploit," Masterbrook said today. "I discovered it accidentally, which indicates that this issue could also be discovered by others. These two factors should have indicated to Apple that this vulnerability carried a high risk."
He took Apple to task for the way it handles reports of security vulnerabilities, and patches its software. "It took seven months for Apple to patch this latest vulnerability in Safari, despite numerous opportunities for it to be addressed in updates that were already scheduled," he said. "OS X users are at this point in the unenviable situation of hoping that Apple starts taking these issues more seriously before phishing exploits, drive-by malware, and viruses become widespread on the platform."
This whitepaper explains the terminology and concepts behind Data Replication technologies and establishes some sizing rules through worked examples. Learn the new paradigm in disaster tolerance—protect data anywhere.
Download now »
Download a free 30–day trial and experience how XenDesktop delivers a pristine, on–demand desktop experience to users on whatever device they choose, while cutting IT complexity and costs.
Download now »
The emergence of WLANs has created a new breed of security threats to enterprise networks.
Included in HP ProCurve WLAN solutions is security technology that alleviates threats from WLANs through:
* Monitoring wireless activity inside and out of the enterprise
* Classifying WLAN transmissions into harmful and harmless
* Preventing transmissions that pose a security threat to the enterprise network
* Locating participating devices for physical remediation
Sign up to receive Security Resource Alerts
With the continuous expansion of data capacity, completing the full cycle of a scheduled scan can be a very time consuming process. Find out how to efficiently secure EMC Celerra with centralized virus scanning, virus pattern file updates, event reporting and antivirus configuration.
Download now! »
A single virus-infected file in a storage system can be responsible for infecting large amounts of data. This white paper details the architecture and product features of Trend Micro's data storage security solution, ServerProtect, and discusses how it has been designed to protect EMC Celerra file servers with minimal overhead.
Download now! »
White paper
The increase in Linux popularity has increased the frequency and sophistication of malware attacks. Learn how you can protect your Linux environment with real-time protection that is certified by all major Linux vendors.
Download now! »
With the emergence of mixed threat attacks, a failure on a single server can quickly impact the entire network. Learn how a technology that is designed to remove and block infected files on application and file servers prevents the virus from reaching users and keeps your Windows network free from malware.
Download now! »
4 Recommendations
